Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40731131›Full record

ArticleCommunications biology2025

Tom40 functions as a channel for protein retrotranslocation in the mitochondria-associated degradation (MAD) pathway.

Pin-Chao Liao, Tzu-Ying Lin, Catherine A Tsang, Chen-Jing Huang, Katherine Filpo, Istvan Boldogh, Liza A Pon

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. In and out of the mitochondrial intermembrane space.Protein science : a publication of the Protein Society · 2026
    Review
  3. Mitochondria transfer in tissue homeostasis and diseases.International journal of biological sciences · 2026
    Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Pin-Chao LiaoDepartment of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. pcliao@life.nthu.edu.tw.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1969-5565
Tzu-Ying LinInstitute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Catherine A TsangDepartment of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Chen-Jing HuangInstitute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Katherine FilpoDepartment of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-1894-744X
Istvan BoldoghDepartment of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Liza A PonDepartment of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. lap5@cumc.columbia.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5593-4412

Funding

Tumor Biology and Microenvironment ProgramP30CA013696 · NCI · COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE · PI Anil K Rustgi · 1985 to 2026
$115.3M
Mitochondrial inheritance and quality controlR35GM122589 · NIGMS · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI Liza A Pon · 2017 to 2026
$5.1M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA013696NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM122589U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | Center for Information Technology (Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health) AG051047U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | Center for Information Technology (Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health) GM122589U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | Center for Information Technology (Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health) P30 CA13696
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The mitochondria-associated degradation pathway (MAD) mediates removal and elimination of damaged, unfolded mitochondrial proteins by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Previous studies revealed that MAD is critical for mitochondrial protein quality control and that MAD function extends beyond mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM) to proteins within the organelle. Here, we reconstitute retrotranslocation of MAD substrates from the mitochondrial matrix across mitochondrial inner and outer membranes in cell-free systems. This retrotranslocation is ATP-dependent but membrane potential-independent. We also identify a role for the TOM complex, the protein import channel in the MOM, in this process. Inhibition of protein translocation across the Tom40p channel reduces the retrotranslocation of MAD substrates. Our studies support the model that the TOM complex is a bidirectional protein channel in the MOM: it mediates retrotranslocation of damaged mitochondrial proteins across the MOM in the MAD pathway for mitochondrial protein quality control in addition to its function in import of proteins into the organelle.

Indexed as

MitochondriaMitochondrial Membrane Transport ProteinsMitochondrial ProteinsSaccharomyces cerevisiaeSaccharomyces cerevisiae ProteinsMitochondrial MembranesMitochondrial Precursor Protein Import Complex ProteinsProtein TransportProteolysisMitochondrial Membrane Transport ProteinsMitochondrial Precursor Protein Import Complex ProteinsMitochondrial ProteinsSaccharomyces cerevisiae ProteinsTom40 protein, S cerevisiae

Identifiers

PMID40731131
PMCPMC12307905

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.